CHAPTER XIII.

THE REFORMATION AT GENEVA, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

Character of Calvinism-Reviewing in advance-Protestant historians -The "Registers"-M. Audin-Calvin's character-Luther and Calvin compared-Early liberties of Geneva-The "Libertines"Blue laws-Spy-system-Persecution-Death of Gruet-Burning of Servetus-Hallam's testimony-Morals of Calvin—His zeal—His complicated diseases-His last will-His awful death and mysterious burial-A douceur-The inference.

THE second greater branch of the reformation was that established at Geneva by John Calvin. Of all the reformers, he was perhaps the most acute, learned, and talented. And he has succeeded, better than any of them, in impressing his own stern and morose character on the sect he founded. Geneva was the centre of his operations, as Wittemberg was of those of Luther, and Zurich, of those of Zuingle. Starting from Geneva, Calvinism soon spread through Switzerland, and extended to France, Holland, Scotland and England; and even on the soil of Germany itself, it was soon able to dispute the supremacy with the sect there established by Luther.

We have deferred till now our account of the origin and progress of Calvinism, because we intend to view it chiefly in its bearing on the subjects treated of in the two previous chapters-civil and religious liberty. Besides, in point of time, it is posterior to the branches of the reformation established by Luther and Zuingle. M. D'Aubigné's

History of "the great reformation," does not embrace that of Calvinism: he merely gives us a few incidents in the childhood and early youth* of the Genevan reformer ;† together with a brief account of the early labors of the minister Farel, Calvin's predecessor at Geneva. As, however, the next volume of this work, if it ever appear, will probably enter on this subject in full, we may be allowed to anticipate somewhat, and by an honest hibernianism, to review it in advance.

Much additional light has been lately shed on the history of early Calvinism. Protestant as well as Catholic historians have labored with great success in this field. Among the former, we mention as the most distinguished, Galiffe, Gaberel, and Fazy. These three learned Protestants have all contributed greatly to elucidate the history of Geneva in the sixteenth century. The last named, M. Fazy, published in 1838 at Geneva, his "Essay on the History of the Genevan Republic;"‡ in which he enlarges on the influence of Calvinism on the destinies of the republic. The work of Gaberel, entitled "Calvin at Geneva," enters more directly into the subject, and furnishes additional details.

But, for ability, and research into the history of early Calvinism, they are both perhaps surpassed by M. Galiffe. His three volumes of "Genealogical Notices of Genevan Families,"|| unfold much of the secret history of Geneva under the theocracy of Calvin. He has ferreted out and published to the world the famous "Registers" of the Genevan consistory and council during the sixteenth century. These had been long lost to the world. The friends of

* He takes special care, however, not to allude to a certain passage in Calvin's youth, of which hereafter.

† Book xii, at the end of the third volume.

"Essai d'un précis de l'Histoire de la Rép. Genevaise," 2 vols. 8vo. § "Calvin à Geneve," 8vo. 1836.

"Notices Généalogiques sur les Familles Genevaises," 3 vols. 1831, 1836.

Calvin had carefully concealed them, out of respect to their father in the faith.

When quite recently, M. Vemet requested the Genevan secretary of state, M. Chapeaurouge, to communicate to him the order of proceedings touching Servetus, the council of state, to whom the matter was referred, refused to grant the request. However, M. Calandrini, the Syndic of Geneva, answered, that "the conduct of Calvin and the council in that affair were such, that they wished to bury it in deep oblivion."* But thanks to the indefatigable researches of Galiffe, and to the growing indifference of the ministers of Geneva for the memory of Calvin, those long hidden records of the political and religious history of Geneva during Calvin's life-time, have been at length revealed to the world. A Protestant has thus removed the dark veil which has hung over the cradle of Calvinism for centuries!

M. Audin, in his late "Life of Calvin,"t has availed himself of the labors of all his predecessors in this interesting branch of religious history. He qualified himself for his task by much patient labor and research. He assures us that there was not a library of any note in France or Germany which he did not visit. In his travels, he discovered many letters of Calvin hitherto unpublished. Among these is his famous letter to Farel, which he found in the hand-writing of Calvin himself, in the royal library at Paris. The publication of this letter-which is of undoubted genuineness||—has shed much additional light on the agency of Calvin in compassing the death of Servetus.

In what we will say on the history of the reformation at Geneva, we shall follow all these authors. More particu

* The letter of the Syndic is published in full by Galiffe in his "Notices" sup. cit.

"Histoire de la Vie, des Ouvrages et des Doctrines de Calvin”— Par M. Audin, auteur de "l'Histoire de Luther,"-2 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1843. Introduction, p. 19. § Published in full, vol. ii, p. 313, seqq. See Hallam-“ Hist. of Literature,” vol. 1, p. 280.-Note.

larly will we avail ourselves of the facts disclosed by M. Audin. Our plan does not of course require, nor will the limits of one chapter permit, any very lengthy details on the history of early Calvinism. The character of this branch of the "great reformation," is, in fact, nearly the same as that of those of Wittemberg and Zurich, of which we have already treated at some length. Similar means were also adopted to bring it about. Its effects on society, as we shall endeavor to show, were also nearly the same.*

John Calvin was born at Noyon, in France, on the 10th of July, 1509, and he died at Geneva, on the 19th of May, 1564, in the fifty-fifth year of his age. The first feature that strikes us in his character is his untiring industry and restless activity. Whether we view him as a student frequenting the schools at Paris-as a minister at Geneva, concerting with the ministers Farel and Froment his plans for carrying out the reformation-as an exile at Strasburg, intermeddling with the affairs of German diets and German reformers-or, after his return to Geneva from the exile into which his restlessness had driven himthroughout his whole life, in fact, he is the same busy, intriguing, restless character. He was never asleep at his post; he was always on the alert; he toiled day and night in carrying out his plans.

He was as cool and calculating as he was active. He seldom failed to put down an enemy-and every opponent was his enemy-because he could seldom be taken at a disadvantage. His vigilance detected their plans, and his prompt activity thwarted them. Though very irritable, and inexorable in his anger, yet his passion did not cloud his understanding, nor hinder the carrying out of

* Those who may wish to see a full history of Calvinism in its various workings in different countries of Europe, are referred to the "Oral Discussion" between Rev. Messrs. Hughes and Breckenridge—2d Quest. The former has anatomized Calvinism with all the sang froid and skill of a Dupuytren or a Dudley: while the latter quietly looked on, in disrespectful silence!

his deliberate purpose. In temperament he was cold and repulsive even sour and morose. He mingled little with others, and was as reserved in his conversations as he was .fond of retirement and study.

"*

If he had any heart, he never gave evidence of the fact by the manifestation of feeling. At the death of his first and only child, he shed not one tear. In a letter to the minister Viret, he coldly informed him of the fact, and invited him to pay him a visit at Strasburg, telling him, as an inducement to come, 'that they could enjoy themselves, and talk together for half a day.' He never manifested the least sympathy for those in distress, though in many cases he was himself the cause of their sufferings. Thus, when Servetus, on hearing that he was condemned to the stake, gave way to his feelings in a burst of agony and tears, Calvin mocked at his distress by writing to one of his friends that he bellowed after the manner of a Spaniard-mercy, mercy.'†

Thus also, when Castalio, one of the most excellent men and accomplished scholars of his age, was on the very verge of starvation at Berne, whither he had repaired to escape Calvin's persecution at Geneva, the reformer had the cold-heartedness to remind him that he had fed at his table in Strasburg; and, to do away with the effect of Castalio's arguments, which he found it difficult to answer, he accused him of theft! To the first charge Castalio answered, 'I lodged with you, it is true, about a week . . . . but I paid you for what I had eaten. How cordially you and Beza hate me.' The charge of theft he indignantly repelled as follows: 'And who told you that? Your spies have deceived you. Reduced to the most frightful misery . . . . I took a hook, and went to gather the wood which floated upon the Rhine, which

* See Audin, Vie de Calvin, vol. i, p. 351, note, for Calvin's words. "Ut tantum Hispanico more reboaret: Misericordia, misericordia!" Ibid. vol. ii, p. 304.

Castalio-Defensio, pp. 26, 40. Apud Audin, ibid. vol. ii, p. 239.